31/10.14. Nani Deer Update.

There is still no news about the specific release of Nani deer and the other animals.

So as we said, until all are released, the campaign will continue.

Now that we have seen Serbian campaigners issue a formal charge to the Serbian authorities about Nani; and we have been in contact with the EU Animal Welfare Intergroup, the President of the Intergroup Mr. Janusz Wojciechowski MEP; the Ambassador of the European Union to Serbia, the EU Enlargement Commission; also established an international petition to save Nani, along with asking supporters to e mail our sample letter to international Serbian embassies, we have decided that enough has now been done for us to take the issue to the media.

The PR sent today includes photographs of Nani as she is currently being held at the compound of ‘Hunting Association Cicevac’, along with contact details for all the above people and organisations, including the UK Serbian embassy who we made attempts to talk to about the Minister of Agriculture and Nani on no less than 3 separate occasions – each time we were simply disconnected as they did not want to discuss anything with us. This situation has now given us little choice but to go to the press and see if they can follow up and get any response from the London embassy regarding Nani. Contact has also been made with the BBC and SKY.

A copy of our PR as issued today follows. It is long and fairly detailed for a PR; but there is a lot to tell and show; as is also the case with the Serbian campaigners formal charge.

We now just sit tight and see what happens next. As I have said in the PR:

“Although some people will just look at Nani as one baby fawn in Serbia; we as an animal welfare organisation will campaign for the release of just one baby deer held illegally as we would should it be 1,000. It is a matter of principle, adhering to the rules and regulations of any nation. Serbia wishes to gain EU accession; therefore it must show the EU Enlargement Commission that it is complying with the institutions guaranteeing democracy and application of the rule of law – animal and human rights. EU Membership presupposes the candidate’s ability to take on the obligations of membership including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union. Animal welfare regulation adherence is part of Serbian law – Serbia must be seen to implement it”.

The Nani campaign will continue until there is implementation of animal welfare legislation, and we do not witness the situations that we are currently experiencing with a baby deer being held in captivity by hunters for at least 3 times (90 days) longer than Serbian law allows at the discretion of the Serbian Agriculture Minister.

We will publish any updates as we get them. We are working hard with dedicated Serbian campaigners every single day to try and get Nani and others released. It could be a very simple process for the Serbian authorities – we will continue either way they decide to go and we will continue to inform the EU authorities.

PRESS RELEASE

Free ‘Nani’ the fawn and return her to proper life long care.

‘Nani’ was a baby deer who witnessed her mother being shot and killed by Serbian hunters at a very early age.

Nani was rescued from death at the age of 2 months by an animal welfare campaigner in Serbia; Mrs. Dragana Mitic of Cicevac town.

Mrs. Mitic kept Nani on her estate and provided her with attention, care and food.

On 1/8/14 Nani was illegally confiscated by hunters of the ‘Hunting Association Cicevac’ working with the assistance of the local police department.

Being in the full time care of Mrs. Mitic; Nani the status of (Serbian) Hunting Law (Article 4, paragraph 32, (“Off. Gazette of RS”, no. 18/2010) therefore cannot be applied to this fawn.

The hunters were thus officially not allowed to take Nani from the care of Mrs. Mitic; but they did with cooperation from the police of Cicevac.

Due to being in the care of Mrs. Mitic, Nani was subject to the regulations and Article 2 page 1, paragraph 7, of the (Serbian) Animal Welfare Act (“Off. Gazette of RS”, no. 41/2009).

As of 8/8/14; Serbian welfare campaigners have made constant attempts to have Nani returned to the full time care of Mrs. Mitic.

Since August 2014, Nani has been kept at a dilapidated game bird rearing facility owned by ‘Hunting Association Cicevac’.

She cannot be returned to nature.

Since being taken by the hunters, Nani is showing signs of sickness and ill health.

She is suffering from starvation – unless provided with food brought to her daily by the Mitic family who still have access to the exterior of her compound.

Her diet is only what the Mitic family can provide through the fence.

Nani is constantly exposed to all weathers.

She does not have food or water provided by the hunters.

Around 600 pheasants are kept at the facility. As a result, Nani has become the victim of ecto- and endo parasites due to the dirty premises inside the fenced area where the pheasants are being held by the hunters and which hasn’t been cleaned for years

The conditions in which Nani was being kept was reported that to Police Department of Cicevac and Republic Veterinary Inspector in Krusevac, both who who did nothing,

Nani is a female and was deliberately locked inside a small fenced area with a goat, Cameroonian race, to be abused, by being chased to exhaustion, much at the amusement of the hunters

After these incidents being reported to the police, the animals were separated and held in different areas

Several times Serbian animal welfare campaigners have reported that Nani is being starved, that she never has clean drinking water, that she never gets bulky green food which is essential for digestion and her proper rumen function.

The Republic Veterinary Inspector informed the campaigners that Nani the fawn is being fed with a concentrate feed for lambs, which Nani did not want, nor did she eat. Thus she is starving.

Additionally, veterinary inspection in Krusevac showed a complete lack of knowledge about regulations by which it itself should work; and since there were also no proper actions from a Chief of RVI, Director of the Veterinary Department and the Serbian Minister of Agriculture herself, Mrs Bogosavljevic Boskovic.

It is concluded from numerous other examples, that due to complete inaction, ignorance and violation of regulations from the veterinary field, they actually don’t really know the description of their job and the Serbian animal welfare laws by which they are regulated

As we approach the period of winter and cold weather in Serbia, and the fawn Nani is in very bad shape, skinny, has weak hair, is mostly scared and tired without the possibility of having either peace and shelter in which to rest and sleep. Welfare campaigners are continually reporting this type of abuse because all the events around this fawn in the previous period indicate a fatal outcome that will probably be very soon

In recent days of heavy rain in Serbia, wind, cold and humidity, the fawn Nani has nowhere to hide except in the dirty area where pheasants resided. She is outdoors constantly. In this location there is a lot of hazardous waste of every type as well as pheasant’s excrement

The Republic Veterinary Inspection (RVI) should immediately order the Hunting Association “Cicevac” to at least immediately provide shelter, food and better facilities for Nani

The RVI should immediately order the relocation of the fawn in accordance with Article 79, page 1, paragraph 2 of the (Serbian) Animal Welfare Law for her well-being and recovery, all in accordance with the principles of the Law and return the fawn back to Mrs. Dragana Mitic, who still wants to take her and has much better conditions for her welfare, including a spacious courtyard of the 15 acres, where the fawn originally grew. In addition, Mrs. Mitic will feed and take care of Nani in every way better than the hunters do at present. Nani immediately needs to be returned to Mrs. Mitic, and recover from all that she has endured since 01.08.2014 up until the present.

In addition to the charge made by Serbian campaigners; associates at Serbian Animals Voice (Kent, England) have written to and informed the following about the situation of Nani the fawn:

Mr. Janusz Wojciechowski; the newly elected President of the EU Animal Welfare Intergroup

the EU Enlargement Commission, who claim to be passing on our posts / messages to the Serbian authorities. Who will be invited to give this matter their fullest attention and then to invite them to reply to SAV.

On 27/10/14, SAV were in telephone conversation with the EU Enlargement Commission regarding Nani and Serbia’s application to become an EU member state. The Commission were reminded that the Funding allocation from the EU to Serbia for 2013 was €208.3 million; with EU assistance focusing on Serbian EU accession enforcement of Justice/home affairs – efficient judicial system, the fight against organised crime and corruption.

“(EU) Membership requires that candidate country has achieved stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights, respect for and protection of minorities, the existence of a functioning market economy as well as the capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union. Membership presupposes the candidate’s ability to take on the obligations of membership including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union“. – Excerpt from the Copenhagen Presidency conclusions.

Although some people will just look at Nani as one baby fawn in Serbia; we as an animal welfare organisation will campaign for the release of just one baby deer held illegally as we would should it be 1,000. It is a matter of principle, adhering to the rules and regulations of any nation. Serbia wishes to gain EU accession; therefore it must show the EU Enlargement Commission that it is complying with the institutions guaranteeing democracy and application of the rule of law – animal and human rights. EU Membership presupposes the candidate’s ability to take on the obligations of membership including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union. Animal welfare regulation adherence is part of Serbian law – Serbia must be seen to implement it.

The SAV https://serbiananimalsvoice.com/alliance is a completely volunteer run organisation which primarily campaigns for the better treatment of all animals within the Balkans states; especially on behalf of stray / roaming street animals. We DO NOT HAVE ANY FINANCIAL INTERESTS FOR THE GROUP, and we are self funded. All we ask is if you are considering giving a donation to us, you instead find the group or organisation of your choice from our posts, and give directly to them; by-passing us. There are lots of animal groups around the world who are desperate for donations.

With thanks to Vesna.

Tonight, after being given information by Vesna; we have now written to the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia;

providing lots of information to the Ambassador Davenport, who like us, happens to be a British citizen; who also speaks fluent Serbian; especially detailing all our recent events, the SAV site and our request that he asks the Serbian government on our behalf for the release of Nani deer and all the other animals currently being held by the hunters:

As existing citizens of the EU, from the UK (SAV is based in England, UK); we hope that Ambassador Davenport will be making a representation regarding Nani to the Serbian Prime Minister; who we understand he meets very frequently; within the next few days.

Sow crates phase-out takes hold world wide

The pressure started in Europe. The focus then became North America. Now the drive to phase-out so-called ‘sow crates’ or gestation stalls has firmly taken hold in a variety of major pockets around the world.

The latest examples include shifts by South Africa based retailers Woolworths and Pick n Pay.

Woolworths has announced that from the end of September, all fresh pork sold at the supermarket chain will be sourced from farms that no longer use conventional sow stalls. The Cape Town headquartered retailer is touting this “introduction of sow-friendly pork” as a first for South African retailers, represents a milestone in the company’s “Good Business Journey” sustainability initiative.

Final Report of an Audit carried out in Latvia from 24 to 28 February 2014 in order to evaluate the animal welfare controls in place at slaughter and during related operations

This report describes the outcome of a Food and Veterinary Office audit in Latvia from 24 to 28 February 2014 to evaluate the effectiveness of controls in ensuring animals are spared any avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing and related operations, as required by Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009. In particular: the assurances given by official controls regarding the business operators’ compliance with applicable requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009; whether official controls are carried out in accordance with the relevant requirements of Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 and are suitable to ensure the effective implementation of Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 and Member State’s and Competent Authorities’ compliance with requirements such as guides to good practice, scientific support, and certificates of competence, and the effectiveness of implementation of those requirements.

Animal Welfare: The Pleasure of Respecting Rights

Animal husbandry and animal welfare are inextricably linked with ethical, political, economic and social issues. What to know and how to produce and consume animal products that are ethically and culturally sustainable.

Author/Organization:Slow Food, Terra Madre; European Commission; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

From farmer to farmer – Animal Welfare and its benefits

Hear from farmers and scientists working to promote animal welfare how to benefit from it. Farmers and producers are invited to participate, share their experience and best practices on animal welfare and their thoughts.

Author/Organization:Slow Food, Terra Madre; European Commission; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Consumers urged to buy pigmeat ‘from farms not factories’

The National Pig Association (NPA) has insisted scale of production is not a factor in the welfare of pigs in response to a new campaign urging consumers to buy their pigmeat from ‘farms not factories’.

“What do you eat? What about meat? What about protein? What about cheese? Can you eat fish? Do you eat this? Would you eat that? Are you anemic?”

While many of the questions Chokeules raps about often come from a lack of understanding, the truth is, regardless of the fact that veganism is making its way into the mainstream, people who don’t eat meat and diary still get asked these questions all the time.

From coconut bacon and tofurky to tofu scramble and soy jerky, the song sends out a clear message that veganism is not about deprivation, and that if you want, you can still choose to enjoy all your old favorites — except they’ve been veganized!

Featuring a cast of adorable animals from Wishing Well Sanctuary in Bradford, Ontario, Chokeules is helping to show the world that there is an alternative, and that with all the options that are available to us today, it really couldn’t be easier to choose to love animals rather than eat them.

Check out the song (and the super cute animals) for yourself in the video below:

To find out more about the inspiration behind the song, we got in contact with Chokeules himself and here’s what he had to say:

“One day one of my oldest friends said to me ‘Look, no offense, but seriously — what do you eat?’ After having been asked that same question over and over for years, that day the idea for the song and the chorus popped in my head.”

We also asked him why he thinks it is so important to get this particular message out there.

“The song itself is just about vegan food and vegan junk food, but it’s definitely not representative of all the healthy vegan options out there, just more of a funny response to people wondering how they could replace their precious comfort foods. Quinoa and kale didn’t get the respect they deserve. ”

The tune, which was only released three weeks ago, immediately went viral, garnering support from animal lovers all over the world.

“The video has been getting an amazing response, largely in part to our awesome friends at Wishing Well Sanctuary, who gave us the best location and actors ever, but also because the vegan community has been crazy supportive.”

Bowled over with all the positive response that the song has had, Chokeules has been inspired to continue using his talents to spread the compassionate message.

“It’s been humbling getting such positive feedback and support from people and organizations I admire, who do so much for animals. All I did was write a cool song, so it’s definitely been a wake up call to remind myself why I became vegan in the first place, and that I should be doing more to raise awareness.”